Feathers, florals and flashes of cobalt blue set the tone on the red carpet at the 2026 Brit Awards, as music’s biggest names descended on Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena for the ceremony’s first outing outside London.
From sculpted corsetry to fluid chiffon, this year’s arrivals proved that the fashion stakes are rising just as fast as the chart battles – with many of the night’s leading nominees dressing to match their headline status.
Artist of the Year nominee Lola Young, 25, leaned into her signature grunge aesthetic in a sculpted strapless corset top splashed with red spray-paint detailing.
She paired the structured bodice with loose metallic jeans and pointed pumps, eschewing a necklace and keeping jewellery pared back. Her long, side-parted waves softened the industrial edge of the look.
Fellow Artist of the Year contender Olivia Dean, 26 – also nominated twice for Song of the Year – opted for springtime style in a strapless yellow Loewe column gown scattered with ditsy blue florals. The clean silhouette and minimal jewellery allowed the texture and colour to shine, with her natural curls framing the feminine design.
In contrast, International Solo Artist nominee Rosalia, 33, delivered drama in a reworked Chanel two-piece featuring a plume-like feathered bandeau sash and matching skirt layered over a black underlay.
The open-back detail – adapted from the runway version – gave the couture look a contemporary, red-carpet edge.
Old Hollywood glamour came courtesy of presenter Maya Jama, 31, who wore a slinky white V-neck gown draped with a matching fur stole. A vintage-inspired bob completed the silver-screen silhouette.
Mabel, 30, embraced bohemian romance in a teal tulle Chloe gown, elevating the soft layers with a gold snake necklace that coiled dramatically around her neckline. Fellow singer Sasha Keable, 32, echoed the romantic mood in a strapless corseted lace gown styled with pointed burgundy pumps.
Sunshine hues were another recurring theme. Vogue Williams, 40, wore a silk, backless polka-dot dress in vibrant yellow, accessorised with chunky gold hoops and a metallic clutch, while American singer-songwriter Alex Warren, 25, tapped into warm tonal dressing with a butter-yellow double-breasted jacket and caramel-brown trousers from Amiri’s spring/summer 2026 collection.
Cobalt blue emerged as the standout statement shade of the night. Ashley Roberts, 44, opted for an asymmetric sheer gown in the electric hue, while Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo, 41, chose a high-necked, long-sleeved mini dress with ruched detailing and a flowing train in the same punchy tone.
Monochrome tailoring also had a strong showing. Harry Styles, 32, reworked classic suiting in a baggy, double-breasted ensemble etched with deconstructed pinstripes, styled with a striped tie and black ballet pumps.
Robbie Williams, 52, made a bolder statement in a black-and-white floral suit worn shirtless.
Feather trims added theatrical flair. Kelly Osbourne, 41, layered a black feathered shawl over a bodycon velvet dress, attending alongside her mother Sharon Osbourne, 73, who opted for sharp, all-black tailoring finished with a diamond-encrusted bat brooch.
Meanwhile, Happy Mondays duo Bez, 61, and Shaun Ryder, 63, injected personality into the carpet in red monochrome suiting and relaxed indigo double denim respectively, proving that Brit style remains as eclectic as the music it celebrates.
With nominations reflecting a year dominated by women in pop and a globally diverse shortlist, the red carpet mirrored that creative energy with bold and expressive looks.
